1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe guide plate and a semiconductor inspection apparatus using a probe guide plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a semiconductor inspection apparatus has been used for inspecting semiconductor devices, in which probe needles are respectively inserted in guide holes of a probe guide plate. Specifically, by such a semiconductor inspection apparatus, electric characteristics of a semiconductor device is inspected by temporarily electrically connecting the semiconductor device with an external semiconductor inspection system by directly pushing front ends of probe needles to electrode pads of the semiconductor device.
As a material of the probe guide plate, ceramics, silicon or the like is used, for example. A ceramics probe guide plate is manufactured by forming guide holes by drilling after sintering machinable ceramics or the like. However, it is difficult to form small through holes by drilling, and there is a problem in that cost may be increased when the number of guide holes is increased.
On the other hand, a silicon probe guide plate is manufactured by forming guide holes by photolithography including patterning and dry etching and forming an silicon oxide film in the guide holes or the like by thermal oxidation or the like to ensure insulation properties, for example. As the guide holes are formed at the same time by photolithography, cost for manufacturing the silicon probe guide plate does not change depending on the number of guide holes. Thus, there is an advantage in manufacturing the silicon probe guide plate with guide holes of high density.
However, as a fracture toughness value of general silicon and a silicon oxide film is about 1 MPa·m1/2, which is smaller than a fracture toughness value about 4 MPa·m1/2 of general alumina ceramics. Thus, for the silicon probe guide plate, it is necessary to form the silicon oxide film to have a certain thickness (about 5 μm, for example) in order to ensure slidability of probe needles.
However, there has been a problem in that warp may be generated in the silicon probe guide plate due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficients of silicon and a silicon oxide film when the thickness of the silicon oxide film is made thicker in the silicon probe guide plate. Further, such warp tends to significantly occur when the guide holes are provided at a high density.